Wall construction



G. H', 'ELLIS WALL CONSTRUCTION' Fned oct. 2o. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Arroz/ver;

' NOV. 20, 1934-v cs. H. ELLIS 1,981,314

. Patent No. 1,72

. Patented Nov. 20, 1934 1,981,314 l 'l v WALL coNs'nzUcrioN George H. Ellis, St. Paul, assigner to The lnsuliteompany, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of MinnesotaA delineation cri-faber '20, 1930, semi No. 489,981

SCiaims.

This invention relates to improvements in `building construction, particularly to methods of applying facing elements or boards in the construction of .the walls of buildings. The methods may be applied in relation to studdings, or to :door

stringers, and the iacings are ordinarily covy ered with plaster, cement or stucco. The invention also includes lmeans lfor decreasing heat losses at the joints, and means for reducing to a minimum buckling of the facing sheets, and fracture of plaster coatings thereon. i

It is wellfknown that vwood orsynthetic materials absorb water and expand, and that the largest amount vof expansion takes place before the l5 plaster is applied and that considerable expansion takes 'place after the application lof plaster.

There vis also unequal expansion respectively of 4thoseiportions which receive and do not receive One very objectionable practice hasv plaster.

2e been to butt the edges ofjthe boards. -When thus butted, the-boards buckle, and the plaster cracks. It has alsobeen the Apractice to lay a plurality o'f'boards with the joints of the boards in a horizontal relation to the studding or transversely thereof, and `with the greater portion of the joint lying unsupported between the supports.

A feature of the present invention is the arrangenientl of the joint longitudinally of the supports or studdings, s o that the studding 'acts both as a backing and support throughout the entire `lengthv of the joint, and prevents heat rlosses at the Among the objects of this invention are to provide means for compensating for expansion so that the boards will not buckle or be injured, and

so that cracking ofthe plaster s reduced to a neglgible minimum.

A Heretofore it has been the practice to use material which wasv overlapped to form an expansion joint', and also to have these joints arranged perpendicularly to the long dimension of the studding, generally horizontally. An object of the present invention is to reduce heat losses by eliminating joints, the major portions of which are unsupported, and to provide a construction in which all joints overlie or appear at the studding, and in which the studding may be said to cooperate to prevent heat losses, and in which the joints are so constructed (or in which the ele- 5o inentsare so connected at the Studding) that the boards can slide on their supports at the joint.

The present invention may be, in part, considered an vimprovement over the invention of my prior y K 5,187. o5 lIleatures and advantages of the invention will be pointed out'i'n the description of the drawings forming a part of this application, and in said drawings j Figure 1 is ya perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the invention; j

Figure 2 is a plan section on line 2-2 of Figure Figure 3 is a face view of one formof open- -work sheet-fastening means;

Figure 6 is alplan section on line 6-6 of Fig- 4ure 5.

Referring to the drawings: Numerals 1, 2 and 3 indicate studdlngs, or other suitable supports, only three of which are necessary to itlustrate :f5 one of the important features of the invention. Numeral 4 indicates a sheet of any suitable material which has opposite edges or margins respectively indicated at 5 6, overlappingly engaging the studdings 1 and 3. The middle of the sheet 89 insecured by suitable fastenings 7 to an intermediate studdn'g 2v. The sheet is thus secured at its midpoint and is capable of expanding in opposite direc-tions from this point of attachment, g the opposite ends 5 and 6 being slidablyf sup- 8.5 ported upon the studdin'gs for expansion inovement. Sheet 8 has 'its edge 9 also overlappinglv engaged with the studding 1 and it is understood that this sheet' is also connected at its middle portion to an intermediate studding or support by devices the equivalent of device '71 Sheet 10 has its edge 12 slidably overlappingly engaging. the studding 3 and connected'to an intermediate studding like the other sheets. The sheets 4, 8 and 10 are. therefore, arranged so that they can ex- 95 pand from their midpoint outwardly. The 'ends 5 and 9 are spacedapart as are also the ends 6 and 12. Thus, by having the edges of adjacent sheets spaced apart, channel-likejointsareprovidedand the bottom of each channel is I ormedbyasuppoirt. In this way, each sheet is 'fastened at a pointy x between its ends to an intermediate stud'ding, leaving those portions o'f each sheet which'lie ,at opposite sides of the fastene1s,.free to expand in opposite directions, the contiguous ends of lidia-,105 cent boards being spaced apart lsufficient to allow for vsuch expansion.

Tt will be noted that each fslab, or sheet, or facing` element, is connected intermediate its joint-forming edges to at least every second sup'- 110 2 tension is provided which crosses nail-receiving loop 30, and portion 31.

*across the joints'.

at each side of its point of positive attachment to .one of the supports which lies'intermediate the joint-formingedges. AThe invention `is not limited to the number of 'supports against which a given facing .element may slide. The gist of this 'feature ofthe invention is the positive connection of a sheet in a manner to allow it to expand in opposite directions from the point of attachment, yand in having channel-like joints which per-mit an increased depth of plaster, but which are for-med by the support and the overlapping of contiguous boards on this support.

Means, which per se vis a' featureof this invention, is provided for securing contiguous but spaced ends of the boards against motion away fromthe studdings, but in a manner not to interfere Vwith their expanding motions. These securing' means' or devices engage the board under compression, or. frictionally, and are arranged The fastening device illustrated in detail in Figure 3, and applied'in Figures 1 and 2, is known as a pretzel, and as before stated, this specific form of device is an important feature of the invention.

Referringto Figure' 3, the device is composed of a single piece of wire bent upon itself as at in a manner to provide surface contacting-portionscurved and straight, and to provide elongated arms 21T-22 terminally bent to provide loops 25--26. I n this instance, the loop 26 is an open one, while` the loop '25 is closed, and an exand engages the elements 2122. The extension has a portion 28, In applying the device, the bend portion 20 engages one of theiboards, while the loop portions 2.5-26 engage the opposite board, and the fastening device 35 maintains the frictional contact between the pretzel land the marginal portions of contiguous boards, and this fastening device is attached only' tothe support'. The fastening devices 35 are i not driven withsuftlcie-nt force to pull the loop loop confines.

30 downwardly into the channel, because if this were done, the pretzel. would not only be deformedand' its contact efficiency impaired, but it might interfere with the expanding rnotionsof the' sheets at the joint. The open work construction of thepretzel permits plaster to adhere to it, and' to those portions-of the sheet within the The plasteris indicated at 37 in Figure 2. The pretzel is so formed that plaster can pass through it to form bonds with those por tions ofthe sheetsexposed through it, and plaster ,also adheres to the pretzel, which thus func tions to permit expansion before and after plaster 'is applied, and to reinforce the plaster over the joint, reducing to a minimum cracking, partly because the plaster can engage the board material -withinthe confines of thereinforcing element. It will be noted that the long axis A of the device is arranged substantially perpendicularl'y tothe joint so that the parts 21-22 lie in direct-ion Cif-expansion and therefore do not unduly interfere with it.

Inasmuch as a sheet used in the manner set forth may be said tobe weakened in proportion tothe strength of the sheet, it may be said that the across-the-joint fastening element compen sates for loss of strength at the joint, due to the j separated condition of the sheets thereat. The joint formed herein is then as strong as a joint formed from-'a single piece Y bodiment of Figure 'the expansion of the arched as at 61 so formed by overlapped sheets. and has the added value of being vastly more heat-leak-proof, than -ajoint which is substantially unsupported throughout its length because it is located interinediately of the supports. Tests show that a joint formed by the' usc of wire open-work elej ments -is substantially stronger than a joint formed by overlapping contiguous boards. Therefore, this joint is a feature of the invention, aside from the use of an open-work fastening device, in that there are no horizontal joints or joints which lie intermediately of the supports.

Another feature, which is claimedherein, irrespective of the fastening devices, is the manner of forming the channel-like joints, using the.

support as a backing, and channel-forming element, and having the joints at the support. as distinguished from that type of joint having its major portions located at points intermediate of the supports to permit of greater heat losses over that very much larger area which lies between the supports. In house Ibuilding practice, the sheets 4 extend from iiocr to ceiling. Moreover. the vertical joints only lie over every other studding and thus the total number -of joints are also reduced in this way. An important feature.

In Figure 4, a modification of sheet-fastening means has been illustrated. This fastener is of wire which is given a sinusoidal conguration, to provide opposingly 105 larranged loops respectively indicated E30- 51.

The loops 50 engage the board 4 and the loops 51 engage the board 8, the material being looped between the arcuate portions as at 52 to provide openings to receive fastening devices 53 which 11G pass into the studding 1. This wire element can be made to extend the full vertical length of the joint in a single pieceor a plurality of the devices may be arranged in spaced relation as in the em- 1- Eli Another modification is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. In this form, the lsheet-fastening means is constructed of expanded metal. The device includes a body portion 60, arched as at `61 and `having openings 62 therein for the reception of i90 fastening devices 63, which are driven into the studdlng v1. Integral with and lying at opposite sides of the body portion 60 are the expanded metal portions 64--65 respectively frictionally engaging the outer faces of sheets 4and 8. It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a fastening means which will not interfere with sheet in direction of the arrows AB, and to this end the body portion is that in driving the fastening 13 device63, this portion will not be mashed sufriciently to occupy-a position shown in dotted vlines at 67, and thus interfere with expansion motions of the sheets. This is a valuable feature of the invention. The action of this device in securing 1'55 the parts is substantially the same as that before described, the expanded metal portions 64-65 providing an open work structure through which the plaster 68 can pass and bond with the outer surface of the boards.

In all forms of the invention, open-work jointcrossing elements are employed. In Figures 1, 2 and 3 the open work is obtained by manipulating to provide a series of bends and/or loops; in v Figure 4 by reverselybending the Wire to give it 145 sinusoidal form; and in Figure 5 by using expanded metal.

I claim as my invention: 1. A building structure comprising spaced sup.

sheets of facing material laid against the" supports and having edges of adjacent sheets spaced apart to provide a channel-like joint-the bottom of which is formed by the support, means positively securing each sheet only to a support which is intermediate the joint-forming supports and the joints. to permit free expansion of the board in opposite direction from its point of attachment, elements arranged across the joints engaging the faces of and securing the sheets against movementoutwardly from the supports but permitting expansion in direction transversely of the joint, said elements being so formed that plaster can pass throughthem to form a bond with portions of the sheets, and With portions of the securing elements, means operatively attaching the elements only to the supports, and a plaster facing for the sheets passing through the securing elements, entering the lchannel-joint, and forming a bondwith the sheet surfaces and with the elements.

2. A fastening device for the purpose described formed from a single piece of Wire bent to provide elongated substantially parallel portions terminating in loops, one of .the loops having an extension crossing said portions and having a loop therein which lies intermediate the parallel porvloops-and with an extension of one of lthe loops crossing the parallel portions and having a loop therein which lies intermediate the parallel portions.

AL .A building structure comprising spaced supports, sheets of expansible material laid against the supports Ato provide open joints on the supports, nails securing the sheets only to supports other than those on Which the joints are formed to permit free expansion and sliding of the sheets on those supports on which the joints occur, and a series of fastening devices arranged across the joint and engaging the faces of the sheets in a manner'to prevent motion of the sheets outwardly from the supports but not to interferewith the sliding motions aforesaid, each composed of a single lpiece of wire bent to 'provide an open `work structure including elongated portions which substantially extend in direction `of the sliding motion of the sheets, and which has a loop in opposition to theA joint, and a fastening device passing through the loop and through the joint to secure the device to the studding without interfering with the sliding motion.

5. lA building structure comprising spaced supports; sheets of expansible material laid against the4 supports to provide open joints on the supports, nails securing the sheets only to supports other than those on which the joints are formed,

on those supports on which the joints occur, and a series of fastening devices arranged across the joint and engaging the faces of the sheets in a manner to prevent motion of the sheets outwardly from the supports but not to interfere with the sliding motions aforesaid, each comprising a single piece of Wire bent to provide an open work structure including elongated portions which substantially extend in direction of the sliding motion of the sheets, and whichhave loops, one of the loops having an extension crossing elongated portions and having a loop which lies intermediate l enters the joint.

6. `A fastening device for the purpose Adescribed formed from a single piece of wire bent to provide a series of reverse bends at least one of which forms a closed loop for receiving a fastening device by which the article is attached.

7. A fastening device for the purpose described formed from a single piece of wire bent to provide a series of reverse bends at least one of which forms a closed loop for receiving a fastening device by Which the article is attached, the bends beingdisposed at opposite sides of that loop which is designed to receive the fastening device.

8. A building structure comprising spaced supports, sheets of moisture absorbable material laid against' the supports in such manner that no joint bridges the supports, and so that open joints are only formed on non-consecutive*supports, and in a manner to permit free expansion and sliding of the 'sheets on those supports on which the joints occur, means positively securing eachl sheet only to one support which is intermediate of the supports on which the joints are formed, and means arranged across each joint and engaging the faces of the sheets to prevent outward motion but not to interfere with sliding motion.

9. A building wall structure comprising spaced supports, sheets of moisture absorbable material laid against the supports in such manner that no joint bridges the supports. and so that open joints are only formed on non-consecutive supports, and in a manner to permit free expansion and sliding of the sheets on those'supports on which the joints occur, each sheet being of a height to extend from floor to ceiling, means positively securing each sheet only -to one support which is intermediate of the supports on which the joints are formed, and means arranged across each joint and engaging the faces of the sheets to prevent outward motion but not to interfere with sliding motion.

l GEORGE H. ELLIS. 

